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Nitrates in bacon are essential for making bacon. Aspartame is not essential for making coke.

Bacon isn't an essential food, at least not for humans. You don't need to eat it at all.

Likewise cola, of course.

You can buy nitrite-free bacon - doesn't that mean it's not essential?

"No nitrates or nitrites added" bacon still has nitrites as they are generated by the production method: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos...